just a few things.

These days have been so great. I started teaching again a few weeks ago. It's as if all that free time I had when I first moved up here has slowly been sinking away to days full of teaching children that can barely speak English, to nights of exercise, exploring, eating good food and passing out. I love it though. I feel like a normal human being again. It's weird to type that out, but it's true. I have a life again. I have a schedule. I have an apartment, with a kitchen! I have lots of friends. I have choices. I feel happy. There's something about this new year in Thailand that is so far from the year I had last year, that I feel like I am not even in the same country anymore. The school I teach at is so different, the people I work with are wonderful, and the things to do in this city are endless. Riding around on the motorbike in the evenings is my favorite. There is this one area of the city, that we often drive by in the evenings that just brings a smile to my face. The lights glistening over the river, the people sitting by the water fishing, everything just slows down and I am always reminded how lucky I am to be in such a cool city in such a beautiful country. Is it crazy, that I don't feel the need to buy plane tickets or bus tickets or train tickets to travel, because I am just so content with where I am right now? I can't for the life of me decide where I want to go in my long October break, or for Christmas break or for all those long weekends coming up, because I'm happy where I am. It's such a treat living in Chiang Mai and I hope my appreciation for the littlest things never disappears. Because let me tell you, I learned a lot about the simple things in life last year, and I feel as if I am spoiled daily with what I have here now. I never want to forget to appreciate those minute things.